Is Northwestern or the University of Maryland College Park more selective for undergraduate admission?

The main practical difference is that Northwestern is a highly selective private university with a nationally self-selecting applicant pool, while the University of Maryland, College Park is a large public flagship whose admission process also reflects Maryland residency and major choice. Northwestern is more selective overall for undergraduate admission. Its applicants typically face a much lower likelihood of admission, and strong grades and rigor alone do not make admission predictable.

Maryland is selective as well, particularly for out-of-state applicants and capacity-constrained programs such as computer science, engineering, business, and some health-related pathways. In-state applicants may receive a meaningful admissions advantage at Maryland because of its public-university mission, although admission is still competitive. Northwestern does not have a comparable in-state preference.

The schools also differ in scale and admissions goals. Northwestern enrolls a much smaller undergraduate class and evaluates applicants for a private, research-intensive university across a broad national and international pool. Maryland enrolls a substantially larger class and must balance access for state residents with demand from applicants nationwide.